Deepening opening and collaboration to Lead high-quality development

The press conference of the 2nd World Textile Merchandising Conference was held in Hangzhou

May 09, 2019 ｜ by CT

In 2019, the “Belt and Road” initiative put forward 6th anniversary. In the past six years, the overall layout of the “Belt and Road” project has been completed. At present, taking the second summit forum as a symbol, we have a new starting point for building the “Belt and Road”. It depicted the prospect of win-win cooperation between China and the world and clearly plays the main theme of building an open world economy. As the backbone of the world textile industry, China’s textile industry has made great achievements in trade and investment, production capacity cooperation, technology exchange and responsibility construction around the “one belt and one road” initiative, which has effectively promoted the global industrial prosperity and sustainable development.

On the morning of May 6, the press conference of the 2nd World Textile Merchandising Conference was held in Hangzhou. At the meeting, it was announced that Keqiao District, Shaoxing, Zhejiang Province, will hold the second World Textile Merchandising Conference on September 27 - 28, 2019, to strengthen exchanges among the international textile industries in accordance with the goal of “green high-end, world-leading”, promote the integration of textile academic and scientific research results with government resources and capital market, accelerate the global textile industry all-round cooperation, multi-domain integration.

Sun Ruizhe, President of China National Textile and Apparel Council, Fu Longcheng, Vice President of China General Chamber of Commerce, Zhang Xi’an, Vice President of China Chamber of Commerce for Import and Export of Textile and Apparel, Chen Dapeng, Vice President of China National Textile and Apparel Council and President of China National Garment Association, Oliviero Giuseppe, Vice President of Europe Federation of Small and Medium Enterprises, Mazzei Paolo, Vice President of Italian Union for Economic and Cultural Development in East China, Zhang Qianjiang, Vice-Director of Department of Commerce of Zhejiang Province, Chen Dehong, Vice-Mayor of Shaoxing City, Zhao Rulang, Mayor of Keqiao District of Shaoxing City, Yang Weiqing, Minister of Publicity Department and Member of the Standing Committee of Keqiao District Committee of Shaoxing City, and Qian Yongjun, Member of the Standing Committee of Keqiao District Committee of Shaoxing City, were present.

Yang Weiqing, Minister of Publicity Department of Keqiao District Committee of Shaoxing City, presided over the meeting.

The 2nd World Textile Merchandising Conference is hosted by China National Textile and Apparel Council, China General Chamber of Commerce, China Chamber of Commerce for Import and Export of Textile and Apparel, Department of Commerce of Zhejiang Province and Shaoxing People’s Government, undertaken by China Textile Information Center, Foreign Liaison Committee of China General Chamber of Commerce, Garment Branch of China Chamber of Commerce for Import and Export of Textile and Apparel, Fabric Branch, China Textile International Exchange Center, China Textile Engineering Society, China Dyeing and Printing Association and the Keqiao District People’s Government of Shaoxing City, and received strong support from the International Textile Manufacturers Federation, the International Garment Alliance, the Asia-Pacific Retailers Association and Federation of Asian Professional Textile Associations.

Co-Painting “Gongbi Painting” of global textile industry cooperation

At present, the global transformation of new and old kinetic energy is accelerating, and the resources and advantages of different countries, regions and industries are changing significantly. The world textile industry is at an important juncture of transformation and development. How to grasp the strategic opportunity period and realize the greater value of the industry is a common topic for the global textile industry.

Sun Ruizhe, President of China National Textile and Apparel Council

For the future cooperation of the industry, Sun Ruizhe expressed his vision with “three persistences” in his speech. He pointed out that the first is to adhere to the science and technology drive, focusing on academic and technological innovation and cooperation to achieve. We will accelerate the docking of industrial innovation systems and strengthen exchanges and cooperation in basic research, applied technology research and technological innovation. We will improve the protection of intellectual property rights, promote technology transfer, and promote the application and transformation of achievements in the fields of new fibre materials and intelligent manufacturing. Strengthen scientific, technological and humanistic exchanges, and improve the mechanism of personnel cooperation and training and exchange. Second, deepen opening-up and coordination, and realize mutual benefit and win-win situation around responsibility and value. Realize all-round interconnection and interconnection of industries to form a comprehensive effect. Promote the circulation of commodities, capital, technology and talents, and realize cooperation between domestic and foreign markets, deepen human-based responsibility, environmental responsibility and market responsibility, and promote cooperation of social responsibility in supply chain, grasp the development opportunities of the fourth industrial revolution, and promote crossover cooperation. Third, based on the fashion leap, around culture and brand, beauty and beauty will be put into practice. We should give full play to the role of textile and garment as a cultural carrier and a bridge of civilization to promote value resonance and market integration. Deepen the exploration, research, application and exchange of different cultural elements, and create a good ecology for cultivating “masters, brands and events”. Cooperate with trend research and creative design to enhance market value and aesthetic value.

Zhang Qianjiang, Vice-Director of Department of Commerce of Zhejiang Province

Zhang Qianjiang addressed the meeting. He said that at present, Zhejiang is standing at a new starting point of deep integration and interaction in the world and opening up to the world in an all-round way. It will deeply implement the spirit of the Nineteenth National Congress of the CPC and Xi Jinping’s thought of socialism with Chinese characteristics in the new era. In accordance with the decision-making plan of the provincial Party Committee and the provincial government, we adhere to the working keynote of “striving for steady progress”, and make every effort to stabilize enterprises, increase momentum and ensure safety. We will do a good job in promoting consumption, stabilizing foreign trade and foreign investment. We should actively implement the strategy of integrating the Yangtze River Delta and the pilot area of the free trade zone, deeply participate in the construction of “Belt and Road”, and continue to deepen the reform of “running at most once “ to create a first-class international business environment. At the same time, we should actively build an open exchange platform, provide better services, promote the industry to go out and introduce, actively integrate into the world economy, and contribute Zhejiang model and Zhejiang wisdom to the development of the textile industry in China.

Chen Dehong, Vice-Mayor of Shaoxing City People’s Government

In his speech, Chen Dehong said that Shaoxing, as a big textile city, is an important tie production base and sock production base in the world, and the largest chemical fiber fabrics production base and dyeing and printing processing base in Asia. Shaoxing textile industry mainly includes chemical fiber, weaving, dyeing and printing, clothing and textile machinery. At present, around the goal of “green high-end, world-leading” and the idea of “leading, collaborative innovation and overall leap”, Shaoxing City has firmly promoted the transformation and upgrading of traditional manufacturing industry and dyeing and printing industry at two provincial levels, upgrading the textile industry with advanced technology, modern system and cultural innovation, and striving to lengthen the industrial chain, strengthen the innovation chain and enhance the value chain. Promote the development of high-tech, intelligent, green and brand-oriented textile industry.

Zhao Rulang, Mayor of Keqiao District People’s Government

Today, Keqiao ushered in the best period of strategic opportunity for development. As Zhao Rulang said at the meeting, in recent years, Keqiao has made great efforts in the whole region to actively respond to the national “Belt and Road” initiative, seize the major strategic opportunities of integration of the Yangtze River Delta, the “four major” construction of the whole province, and the urbanization of Hangzhou, Shaoxing and Ningbo to promote the comprehensive opening and development of Keqiao. In terms of industrial upgrading, it is planned to establish Linhang Innovation Park, plan China-Europe Industrial Park, plan air-facing supporting parks, take the initiative to undertake the projects such as Hangzhou industry and airport economy, and cultivate and develop the integration of Hangzhou’s economy and air-facing economy. In the market cultivation, the “Silk Road in Keqiao, Connect Whole World Together” action has been continuously carried out. “Westward” is to cooperate with the developed countries in Europe and the United States, and “eastward” is to cooperate with the countries along the “Belt and Road”. In terms of transportation, we should actively build a half-hour traffic circle and strive to become the core position of Hangzhou’s integrated economy.

The first World Textile Merchandising Conference held in 2018 has built a new bridge and link between China and the world textile industry. It has achieved many fruitful results, such as the establishment of the Council of the World Fabric Business Congress, the launch of the “Silk Road in Keqiao, Connect Whole World Together” project, and the docking of international high-quality productivity projects.

Qian Yongjun, Member of the Standing Committee of Keqiao District Committee

What are the highlights of the Second World Textile Merchandising Conference? Qian Yongjun introduced at the meeting that first, the theme and characteristics are more distinct. The conference aims to implement the spirit of General Secretary Xi Jinping’s important speech at The Second Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation, jointly built through consultation to meet the interests of all, and demonstrate Keqiao as the responsibility of the world’s important textile industrial agglomeration area, seeking the path of development for world textile economic growth and seeking win-win cooperation and responsibility development. Second, the theme content is more abundant. The theme of the conference is “Open Collaboration, Technology Driven, Fashion Transformation”. It is mainly composed of the theme conference, the Global Fashion & Sustainability Summit, the Global Textile Digital Printing Summit, the opening ceremony of the 15th Asian Textile Conference keynote conference, the “Belt and Road” Forum for Asian Textile Cooperation Forum and the International Collaborative Innovation Management Forum for Textile and Apparel, and arranged to visit Keqiao’s urban construction, industrial development and Keqiao Textile Expo (Autumn), Shaoxing, China. Third, the participants are more diverse. At present, the organizing committee of the conference has extended invitations to the world, contacting industry associations, universities and well-known enterprises in the United States, Germany, France, Italy, Spain, Turkey, Japan, Korea, Singapore, India and Vietnam. It also sent directional invitations to experts and scholars from Japan, Korea, American Fiber Society, British and Indian Textile Society, Stanford University, North Carolina State University, RWTH AAachen University, The University of Leeds and The University of Manchester. In addition, a presentation and invitation were made at the “Global Textile and Apparel Supply Chain Conference” held in Vietnam, and further publicity will be given at the 2019 ITMF Council and Textile Machinery Seminar held in Milan, Italy, and special presentations will be conducted in Romania and Ukraine.

Entering the high-quality development track all over the world

“Faced with the changes of the times, China’s textile industry should enter the track of high-quality development and realize the transition of innovation. We need to focus on four aspects. One is scientific and technological innovation, the other is cultural creation, the third is responsible development, and the fourth is to improve the level of opening to the outside world.” Chen Dapeng said in an interview with the media.

Chen Dapeng, Vice President of China National Textile and Apparel Council, President of China National Garment Association

He believes that technology brings about changes in industrial form and culture endows the industry with new era connotation. Technological innovation capability has become an important condition for enterprises and industries to transform, upgrade and develop. It is very important to use new technologies, especially digital technology, to improve production efficiency and change the mode of industrial operation. Today’s consumer upgrade is more of a higher aesthetic cultural appeal. Enhancing cultural creativity and design creativity in an all-round way is an important support for the industry to enhance value creativity and shorten the international gap. He also pointed out that in the new period of development, green and sustainable development should become the values of industry development, people-oriented responsibility, environmental responsibility and market responsibility, as well as entrepreneurs’ humanistic feelings and corporate morality, should form industry consensus and build respectable enterprises and industries together. In addition, to promote opening up at a higher level, it is necessary to build a platform to promote international exchanges and cooperation in the industry and allocate international resources, and the World Textile Merchandising Conference is such a high-quality platform.

Feng Hualin, Construction Management Committee of China Textile City in Keqiao District, Shaoxing City, said in an interview with the media that since the first World Textile Merchandising Conference, China Textile City has actively promoted the strategy of “Silk Road in Keqiao, Connect Whole World Together” in accordance with the industrial advantages and characteristics of Keqiao District. First is “eastward”, with the focus on holding exhibitions and accurate purchasing and supply docking meeting along the “Belt and Road” countries. At present, the two self-organizing exhibitions have been successfully held in Burma, and it has been touring exhibitions in Naples, Italy, Prato, Pakistan and Korea, this year, we will also actively organize the exhibition in Philippines, to strengthen the industrial cooperation between Keqiao and the countries along the “Belt and Road”. The second is “westward”, facing the high-end markets in Europe and the United States, we focus on setting up “Shaoxing Keqiao Pavilion” in the high-end markets such as the United States, Italy and well-known exhibitions. Currently, the Silk Road in Keqiao Milan Pavilion, the first overseas fabric exhibition hall of Keqiao, has opened in Milan, Italy. At the same time, Keqiao strengthens interaction with overseas markets, and takes Fashion Dream Incubator as the platform. By 2020, it plans to introduce 80 European creative enterprises, 100 European designers and 100 European clothing brands. At present, this platform has become a new engine for Keqiao District to vigorously develop textile fashion industry and a new position in line with European fashion front. Third, facing the domestic market, we should focus on the establishment of China Textile City’s O2O exhibition hall in major domestic textile industry clusters, and carry out “Silk Road in Keqiao” into the cluster and brand activities. At present, it has established strategic integration with textile industry clusters in Shenzhen, Humen and Hangzhou.

“If the first conference shows the charm and pattern of global textile industry cooperation, we hope that starting from the second conference, all parties can work together to put practical cooperation in the global textile industry into practice and detail.” Sun Ruizhe’s words at the meeting expressed his ardent expectation of the World Textile Merchandising Conference.

Textile industry is one of the industries with the greatest potential to step into the ranks of world manufacturing powers. It plays an increasingly important role in serving the overall strategic situation of the country, building cultural self-confidence and promoting the construction of the community of human destiny. Keqiao, Shaoxing, China, as a global representative textile industry cluster and China’s 100 billion-grade textile industry cluster, has not only built a trading platform for nearly a quarter of the world’s textile products, but also built an exchange platform for the global textile economy. About 65% of Keqiao’s industrial output value is created by the large textile industry. It is understood that in 2018, the total transaction volume of China Textile City exceeded 220 billion yuan, Keqiao’s gross product exceeded 140 billion yuan, its total fiscal revenue approached 19.86 billion yuan, its export exceeded 10 billion dollars, and its regional comprehensive strength ranked 12th among the top 100 regions in the country. In the first quarter of this year, GDP of Keqiao District achieved 28.875 billion yuan, an increase of 8.3% year on year, the output value of large textile industry reached 21.217 billion yuan, an increase of 21.9%, and the volume of textile market clusters in the whole region reached 38.747 billion yuan, an increase of 11.8% year on year. Keqiao currently has 10,000 overseas purchasers per day, and more than 6,000 foreign businessmen from 63 countries and regions are resident in Keqiao.

Under the framework of co-construction of “Belt and Road”, the international effect of Keqiao’s global textile industry platform will be more significant. At the same time, it will take the seventy birthdays of the motherland and the World Textile Merchandising Conference as an opportunity to highlight Keqiao’s unique advantages and important position in the global textile industry. “Fashion + Exhibition” leads “Dyeing and printing + Market”, opens a new round of high-level opening to the outside world, makes every effort to build the international textile capital in the new era, and strides forward to the world-class advanced textile industry cluster.